


To Be Someone to Him: Carole and Kurt through Time

by InsightfulInsomniac



Category: Glee
Genre: Angst, Carole-focused, F/M, Fluff, Humor, M/M, S3, but it’s brief, dating!klaine, engaged!klaine, married!klaine, references to Finn’s death, s2, s4, s5, s6, some grief and mourning, spans all of time here
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-17
Updated: 2020-08-17
Packaged: 2021-03-05 19:00:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,205
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25950229
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InsightfulInsomniac/pseuds/InsightfulInsomniac
Summary: Carole joins the Hummel family knowing that she loves Burt’s son, Kurt, and vows to be the best stepmom possible. But she soon finds out that watching him grow up, and eventually watching Blaine as well, brings them closer than she could’ve ever imagined.A look into the progression of Carole and Kurt’s relationship over time, with a side of her relationship with Blaine.
Relationships: Blaine Anderson/Kurt Hummel, Carole Hudson-Hummel/Burt Hummel
Comments: 22
Kudos: 93





	To Be Someone to Him: Carole and Kurt through Time

**Author's Note:**

> Y’all know how much I love writing Burt and Carole. I’ve done a bunch of these kinds of fics from Burt’s perspective, so it was only a matter of time until I wrote one from Carole’s!
> 
> This fic has a lot less dialogue than I normally have; it’s nearly a stream-of-consciousness writing, but not exactly. More like a deep look into Carole’s character and her relationships with some fun scenes in between.
> 
> Tw for some talk of grief and the death of a child, all surrounding the canonical death of Finn. It’s somewhat brief but noticeable.
> 
> Enjoy!

When Carole was younger, she dreamed of being a mom. She played with baby dolls like most of the girls her age did when she was growing up — she cuddled them, fed them, changed them, and cared for them with every intention of one day getting to pour every ounce of her being into real children of her own.

Finn’s birth was the greatest day of her life. She never thought of herself as an incomplete person, but he fulfilled a part of her that hadn’t truly been tangible until that moment. He took her breath away with his ruddy, scrunched-up face and wailing cries, and she was forever changed.

But motherhood looked different than the picture-perfect fantasies she played as a child. Her world was thrown off its axis when Christopher died, and suddenly, she’s a young widow trying to make ends meet as a single mom on one income. 

And Finn keeps growing, keeps changing, and she keeps getting thrown farther and farther out of her depth. When she was younger, she didn’t plan on this fumbling, terrifying journey that’s about way more than burping your baby and swaddling it for its naps.

Never in her wildest dreams did she ever imagine being a stepmother. Growing up, she had heard of them — her parents were still together, but her classmate Mary had a stepdad who married her mom when she and Carole were in fifth grade. It was very much a foreign concept until Christopher died, and even then, her primary focus was always on Finn. Boyfriends come and go, even ones she thought might stay, but her and Finn are forever.

But Burt Hummel sweeps into her life and everything’s different yet again. He makes Carole wonder what she saw in the few boyfriends she’s had over the years, with his unwavering loyalty, compassion, and humility. He looks every bit of what you would expect to find in a middle-aged man from Lima, Ohio, but the instant you get close enough to really see and hear him, you realize that he’s everything you wouldn’t expect.

Kurt is a figure in her life from the beginning. She’s heard his name tossed around by Finn when he talks about glee club, but when she actually gets to meet him — _really_ meet him, not just the casual introductory remarks they exchange when he introduces her to Burt, she immediately loves him. He’s got the same determination in his eyes that she already can read as Burt, muddled with teenage insecurity and... _fear_.

Carole’s a nurse. She’s cared for adolescents who are afraid of an impending procedure, who are uncomfortable disclosing private information, who are nervous that they’ll be judged by the nurses who are asking them questions.

Hell, she saw the fear in her own son’s eyes when he told her that Quinn was pregnant, thinking it was his baby. Kurt’s good at hiding it, but Carole knows. She knows why it’s there when they first get to talk seriously. Here’s yet another person who gets to judge him, who gets to decide if he’s valued, loved, and _right_ for being who he is.

And from that moment on, for as long as she’s in Burt’s life, she vows to look out for Kurt as if he’s her own. She knows she could never be his mom — just like Burt could never be Finn’s dad — but she’s going to be _someone_ to him. Someone who cares deeply about him. 

So as her son navigates high school and teenagedom and all that comes with it, she watches Kurt do the same, and soon enough, he is officially her stepson. Their relationship is solid from the start — they bond in the kitchen in the beginning, they always have, and that extends to the rest of life together. They have similar tastes in movies, and she’s more than happy to let Kurt take her shopping every now and again. She loves him, and he loves her.

The first time Kurt tells her he loves him — not a casual “love you!” thrown in the direction of both her and Burt when he’s leaving for school, not a “Oh, Carole, I love you,” after she sides with him over some lighthearted family bickering at the dinner table, but a _real_ , heartfelt statement — it’s right before her and Burt get married. 

What started out as a normal day quickly turns into utter horror — she learns, taking an urgent call out in the hallway of the hospital during her shift, that Burt discovered that there’s a bully at school who’s been picking on Kurt, shoving him, calling him names and slurs, and her blood runs ice cold when her soon-to-be husband chokes out that this kid threatened to _kill_ Kurt.

Citing a family emergency, she gets permission to leave work immediately. At home, she finds Burt pacing the living room, shaking with rage and fear for his son’s life — she calms him down, sits with him, rubs his arms, and even lets a few tears fall when he does. 

Kurt comes home and immediately heads up to his room, Finn doing the same after sending her a quiet greeting that’s tinged with guilt. She knows why — she had asked about Finn and if he’d done anything, and Burt was honest, but not insensitive. She’ll talk with her son later.

But first, Kurt. She fixes him a cup of chamomile tea and cuts up an apple to pair with peanut butter — his favorite healthy snack at the moment. Careful not to intrude if he’s not willing, she knocks first, hearing a soft “come in” before pushing the door open.

Eyes red and watery, Kurt looks more defeated than she’s ever seen him. He’s sitting on his bed, cross-legged, covered in a soft blanket and clutching his phone.

“Hey, honey,” she starts, gesturing with the mug. “I made you some tea and a snack, if you want it. Need anything else?”

He shakes his head and sniffles. “I don’t think so. Thank you.”

“I’m not going to ask you if you’re okay,” Carole says carefully. “Because you don’t have to be right now. But I just want you to know that your dad and I — we love you so much, and we just want you to be safe. We’ll figure it out together, but your safety is priority.”

Kurt smiles slightly. “Thanks, Carole. I’m... not okay, but this isn’t news to me. Dad’s the one who really got a shock today.”

“Don’t worry about him. I’ll take care of him,” she assures. “And if you need someone to talk to or just give you a hug, I’m here.”

Kurt’s opening his mouth to thank her again when his phone dings, and he immediately glances to its lit screen, eyes softening.

“And I mean it — I give good hugs,” she remarks. “Probably not as good as Blaine —“ Kurt’s eyes immediately snap to hers, face red and she just knows he’s wondering how she read him that easily.

“... but my arms are always open,” she concludes, giving him a teasing wink. They all need a little normalcy today, and she can’t help herself.

Kurt bites back a more revealing smile. “Thank you, Carole. I love you.”

“Love you too, honey,” she replies, and her heart yearns to turn around and envelop him in her arms even though he didn’t ask — but she knows Kurt, and she knows that it should be on his terms. 

As for Blaine, he becomes a very real person in the near future, not just a name that stumbles out of Kurt’s mouth far more often than he’d even realize. Carole knows that Kurt is head-over-heels for him, and when she meets him at the McKinley football game that Blaine bought him and Kurt tickets for, she can understand why. He’s charming, polite, genuine, and cute to boot. She warms up to him quickly, and even though she senses Burt’s hesitancy in the beginning, he admits to her later that he really liked the kid.

She has to remind him that they’re not dating, they’re just friends, so he can go a little easier on Blaine, but Burt rolls his eyes and snorts. 

“Yeah, how long do you think that’s gonna last? I’ll give ‘em until the summer, max.”

Carole just laughs and pats his arm, secretly betting that they’ll be together by Easter.

In the end, she’s right. One Friday in late March, she arrives home from her evening shift at the hospital and finds Kurt setting out a serving of leftovers that Burt had prepared — he must’ve seen her schedule on the fridge and realized that she’d be home around this time.

“Hi, Carole,” he says, and she immediately notices that something’s different. His smile is somewhat secretive, and he’s got more color in his cheeks than usual. He drops into a chair across from her food, fidgeting with his hands. “How was work?”

She just drops her purse on the little table in the foyer and joins him, trying not to visibly study him too obviously. “It was an easy shift tonight. Thanks for heating up my dinner.”

“Oh, yeah, of course,” Kurt nods. “Dad made it, but he’s on a business call right now, so I figured I’d get it ready for you.”

He sighs, folding his hands on the table, and a bright grin stretches across his lips. “And I kind of wanted to tell you something exciting.”

“Ooh, honey, I’m all ears,” she smiles, taking a sip of her water.

“So, um, Blaine and I —“ he pauses as if he’s trying to contain the bursting happiness enough to speak. “We’re together. Officially. As boyfriends.”

Carole gasps, even though she could’ve guessed his news from the start. “Oh, Kurt, congratulations! That’s so exciting, sweetie!”

He nods as if he can’t believe it himself, then leans in just slightly, dropping his voice a bit. “Dad knows, but I didn’t tell him this because he’d freak out, but... we kissed. And it was perfect.”

She can’t help but reach out and cover his hands with hers. “Kurt, honey, I’m so happy for you. Blaine is such a sweet boy, and I’m so glad you two found each other. And that the kiss was perfect.”

Kurt blushes, but he still meets her eyes. “We’re singing a duet for Regionals, and I don’t know how we’re going to get any practice done. When I’m around him, everything just... buzzes. I don’t know, it’s magnetic and overwhelming, but in a good way...”

Carole smiles at him knowingly. “That’s young love, Kurt. It’s electric. And the mom in me is making me say this, but go at a pace that’s comfortable for both of you, because it can be quite distracting and easy to get lost in, but you don’t want to go too fast.”

“I know. We’re taking it slow,” he confirms, just a tinge of embarrassing evident in his voice. “It’s just... new and exciting, you know?”

She nods. “I do. I really do. I know the mom in me already spoke, but here’s the stepmom in me — if there’s anything you need to talk about or ask about that you don’t feel comfortable going to your dad for, I’m here and I’m confidential.”

Now that gets Kurt’s cheeks to flush even darker. “I appreciate that, Carole, really. But um, again, we’re really taking it slow.”

“Of course,” she replies. “Just needed to let you know. Now, if you want, tell me more about this first kiss! How romantic was it?”

There’s definitely a difference in being the stepparent of a teenager in a relationship and being the parent of a teenager in a relationship. She’s always been reasonable and fairly lenient when it comes to rules around dating — ultimately, she just wants her boys to be happy and safe. But she also know that Blaine is Kurt’s first boyfriend, and Burt’s going to be stricter as all of these firsts rise to the surface.

As expected, Blaine becomes a much more common presence in the Hudson-Hummel home, even after Kurt transfers back to McKinley and definitely during that summer. She grows steadily more fond of him and quickly determines that he is definitely worthy of her stepson. It’s not long before Burt’s expressing similar sentiments, and then Blaine’s joining them on their annual beach trip and unabashedly kissing Kurt in front of them — nothing obscene, just a casual peck on the lips, but it shows the true comfort that’s set in. Carole adores him, and he and Kurt seem to endure a lot less drama than Finn and Rachel, so that’s a win (bless their hearts. She loves Rachel too, but it can get exhausting).

Towards the start of the school year, Burt grows more comfortable letting Blaine come over when they’re totally unsupervised. At first, neither of them think anything of it, but when they arrive home early one night and interrupt a mortified Kurt and Blaine mid-makeout on the couch, Carole knows she has to intervene.

Burt, to his credit, keeps his cool to quell Blaine’s stammered apologies and Kurt’s inability to even get within a few inches of his boyfriend as he shows him out the door before curfew, and even doesn’t say anything to Kurt once Blaine’s gone. But later that night, Carole knocks and pops her head into Kurt’s room at his assent.

“Hey, Kurt, I just wanted to let you know that when your dad and I are out together and Blaine’s over, I’ll send you a text when we’re a few minutes from home,” she comments, watching her stepson blush bright red from behind his book.

“Oh, uh, you don’t have to do that,” he replies embarrassedly, and she waves him off.

“Oh, no, honey. No big deal. There’s nothing to be embarrassed about,” she assures him. “I promise.”

He smiles, then, and she considers that a victory. “Okay. Thanks, Carole.”

“No problem, sweetie. Good night.”

“Night.”

It’s the little things she can do as a stepmother — ones that don’t cross the lines of breaking Burt’s rules or encourage Kurt to do so, but small ways that she can lighten the load of being a teenager. Because she remembers, and she’s a mom, and being a teenager sucks.

However, she’s constantly in awe of Burt and Kurt’s relationship. Carole knows that she and Finn have an amazing, open, honest, and strong relationship, but there are little things that she’s just constantly impressed by.

Burt tells her the night he discovers that Kurt and Blaine are having sex. He tells her that Kurt came to him, asking for reasonable but extended curfew and door rules, laying it all out on the table with nervous maturity and the assurance that he and Blaine are being safe and respectful to each other.

It’s different, of course, than her and Finn. That’s because Finn and Kurt are wildly different people in very different situations, and even she and Burt are different people. But thinking back to her son thinking that he got his girlfriend pregnant when they didn’t even have sex — and that’s how she found out that her son was (or so she thought) sexually active? She doesn’t compare their relationships with their kids or experiences as parents in any way, but she can’t help but admire Kurt and Burt’s from a place of wholehearted love.

After a talk with both Kurt and Blaine, Burt reluctantly agrees on some adjusted rules, which Carole helps him decide on. And, she secretly encourages Burt to go out on more date night dinners with her, still always sending Kurt a message when they’re about ten minutes from home.

Then, one night, Blaine came over after school, as usual, and is staying for dinner. Both her and Burt have been in the house the whole time, but unlike normal, Kurt and Blaine have yet to make an appearance downstairs. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out why, especially with closed doors that her and Burt are purposely avoiding going near, but it’s rare that they attempt this type of privacy when the house is full.

But right on time, just as she calls upstairs for dinner, the couple comes bounding down the stairs casually, looking to the eye as innocent as can be. Carole considers for a moment that maybe they were just doing homework together — but then she notices.

Resting a hand gently on Blaine’s shoulder, she nods back towards the kitchen. “Blaine, would you give me a hand with carrying the pitchers of water and lemonade?”

Ever-eager to help, Blaine agrees, following her away from the dining room and away from Kurt and Burt. As soon as they’re a good distance away, she lowers her voice and leans in close.

“Honey, your shirt’s on inside-out,” she remarks, and Blaine’s cheeks flush brightly. “Here, duck into the pantry and fix it, then come grab a pitcher.”

“Thank you,” Blaine replies softly, hurriedly, disappearing into the pantry for a brief moment before re-emerging with clothes straightened and corrected.

She hands him the pitcher of water, and he smiles gratefully. “I didn’t even notice, I’m so sorry.”

“There’s no reason to be sorry. It’s what I’m here for,” Carole winks. “Now pretend like that water is really heavy so they think I couldn’t carry both of them.”

Blaine laughs slightly, following her back into the dining room.

He’s not Finn, he’s not Kurt, but Carole loves Blaine like a son. Seeing how happy he makes Kurt is just the cherry on top of it all.

Until, many months later... he doesn’t. She gets the whole story from Finn, and then Burt, and then from Kurt himself when he tells her over the phone days later. She’s angry with Blaine, of course, and honestly can’t believe that he and Kurt ended up here, in a world of hurt caused by the sweet, polite boy who followed Kurt around looking at him like he hung the moon.

 _They’re young,_ she reminds herself. _People make stupid decisions. He’s not a bad person because of his mistake._

Besides, during that emotional call with Kurt, he even tells her not to hate Blaine. Carole’s the last person to really hate someone, but the anger she translated over the phone must’ve shocked Kurt.

“He — he hurt me, so badly, and I feel so betrayed, but —“ Kurt exhales shakily. “Please don’t hate him. I can’t hate him. I’m so angry with him and I don’t want to even think about him but — don’t hate him because of this.”

“Honey, it’s okay to feel this way,” Carole encourages, but Kurt cuts her off.

“No, I know, but I — I wasn’t the greatest long-distance boyfriend either,” he explains. “Not that I deserved to be cheated on, but I wasn’t totally innocent in the situation. And —“ he takes another shuddering breath. “I still love him. I can’t believe I still love him, but I do.”

“I understand,” Carole replies gently. 

“I _hate_ that I still love him. But I... I don’t know. He broke my trust so deeply, but... I know it’s so soon, but I really do believe him when he says he’ll never do it again,” Kurt continues tearily. “He came to me right away, told me everything, and he knew it was going to hurt us both, but he was honest then... and it’s not enough for me to forgive him, yet. But I can’t stop loving him. And I can’t hate him.”

“Give it time,” Carole advises. “It’s all on your terms now, Kurt. Blaine surrendered that when he cheated. If you can trust him again, and you forgive him and still love him, don’t be afraid. But don’t rush into it.”

Kurt sniffles. “I know. I won’t. I can’t even entertain the thought of us getting together again right now — it’s too soon. Way too soon. Just — please. Please don’t isolate him. Don’t hate him. He only really had me and Rachel — and now he has no one.”

“I won’t, honey.”

So she doesn’t. She can’t hate Blaine, she can’t isolate Blaine, and when Kurt calls and casually starts mentioning his name again, she can sense it building. She’s away with Finn for Christmas while Burt’s in New York with Kurt, but she hears all about Burt’s surprise. Burt comes home and reports that despite all the faux-platonic dancing around each other they did while Blaine was there, they’re still very much in love with each other.

And then Kurt comes home to Lima for Mr. Schuester’s wedding, and in the following days that he’s home (he stays through the weekend), he’s going out with Blaine again — as friends, but he has that same secretly besotted smile plastered on his face when he arrives home from said outings. Suddenly, he’s texting Blaine, calling Blaine, and talking about Blaine in the same way he did while they were dating, just with a few reassuring “but we’re just friends” or “as friends” thrown into the mix.

It doesn’t last long. From that moment forward, Carole never thought it would.

Kurt’s back in Lima and suddenly he and Blaine are back together, and then just as quickly, they’re spending the night at Blaine’s together, and then in an even crazier whirlwind of events, they’re _engaged_.

And although Kurt has to jet back to New York, Burt starts inviting Blaine around again, and he’s back in their lives like he never even left in the first place.

The next time Carole sees Kurt in person, it’s the worst time of her life.

There are no words to describe the searing loss of a child. Of her only son. Of her last connection to Christopher. Of _Finn_.

She loves Kurt. She loves him like her own. But it’s not the same.

And she can’t shake the feeling that she’s not a mother anymore.

Nothing could’ve prepared her for this.

It’s not his fault in any way, but it’s hard having Kurt around for a little while. She would never admit to it, because Kurt’s dealing with enough pain of his own. It hurts to see him and Burt, both so strong and so comforting to her, but both still together. She has them both... but they have each other. Her son is missing.

Burt focuses all of his attention on her, extending her unending love and care and comfort and understanding even though he’s grieving too. Kurt gives her support and compassion and his beautiful presence but also space, partially because he knows she needs it and partially because he’s Rachel’s strength at the moment. And Blaine’s here, forever by Kurt’s side, mourning differently than all of them but a pillar of strength and empathy nonetheless.

It’s dark for awhile after that.

And just when she’s seeing the light reappear in dim, splotchy glimmers, she and Burt agree to chaperone the New Directions’ trip to Nationals in LA. After a long conversation, they decide that by taking care of the people who Finn poured so much love into, they would honor him.

It’s more difficult than Carole could’ve even predicted. The night they arrive, the night before Nationals, they almost bail from the suffocating closeness to someone who can’t physically close that gap. But they stay, Carole cries through the entire performance, so moved by the outpouring of love these kids have for her son, and _somehow_ , it feels like a piece of her heart is mended. There’s closure in the fact that she knows Finn was smiling down on those kids, his friends and his students, even as they place second. His memory will live on.

Their flight back to Lima is scheduled for the next evening, giving the kids one day to try and enjoy LA even after their crushing defeat. At 9am sharp that morning, there’s a knock on Burt and Carole’s door.

“Hi, Burt,” Carole recognizes Blaine’s voice immediately. “Mind if I steal Carole for breakfast? My treat.”

Burt just steps away from the door, grinning, and Carole can’t help but laugh.

“Did you have a part in this?” She questions, and Burt chuckles.

“Hey, I just told Blaine that I’d have you up and ready for the day in time for his proposition,” he answers. “It’s all up to you.”

“I’d love breakfast, Blaine,” she replies, seeing his cheery beam in return. “Have a place in mind?”

She grabs her purse and gives Burt a quick kiss before following Blaine down the hotel hallway towards the elevator. “Yeah, actually. My brother lives in LA, and he recommended this one diner. It’s apparently a hidden gem.”

A quick cab ride later, which Blaine also insists on paying for, they’re sitting in the booth at a retro diner nestled in the middle of the city. Blaine tells her that Cooper recommended the cinnamon bun French toast, so they both order a plate with all the sides they have to offer.

They chat amicably for awhile, talking a little about wedding plans (he and Kurt haven’t really decided on anything concrete yet, besides their first dance song being “Come What May,”), and about his future after graduation. When their food comes, they dig in, commenting about how delicious it is for a few minutes before Blaine breaks the food-induced quiet.

“So, um, I just wanted to take you out this morning as a thank you,” Blaine begins carefully, cutting a piece of his French toast. “I know it took a lot to chaperone this trip after everything. It really means a lot to the team.”

Carole swallows a sip of coffee, smiling gently. “Thank you, Blaine. It’s a very sweet gesture. And I have to be honest with you — it wasn’t easy, at first. Burt offered to leave with me that first night. But seeing you kids onstage, keeping Finn’s memory alive?” She shakes her head softly. “It was the most beautiful and healing tribute I’ve ever seen. I can’t explain it, but... I feel lighter now. Finn’s spirit was in every second of your performance.”

Blaine nods, returning her smile. “That’s what we wanted to happen. He was the glue that held us together, as a coach, but also as a teammate. We loved him a lot.”

“I can see that,” Carole wipes a stray tear from her eye. “Oh, it’s been a very emotional few days.”

Blaine chuckles softly, passing her a napkin. “Understandably so. Here, I haven’t told you about Sam’s sleep-talking last night. Oh my god, it was so funny —“

The story ends with both of them in fits of laughter, tears rolling down Carole’s face for an entirely new and welcome reason. It’s the first time she’s laughed like this in a long time — uninhibited, loud laughter — there really is something in the meaning of glee club and opening yourself up to joy.

The older waitress who brings them their check beams when Blaine hands her his debit card and a receipt with a hefty tip. “It is so lovely to see a nice young man taking his mother out for breakfast! So refreshing.”

Blaine smiles politely, but aims to correct her. “Oh, she’s not my mother —“

“I’m his soon-to-be mother-in-law,” Carole finishes, noting how Blaine’s eyes simply light up at that statement. “But he is very much a son to me.”

The waitress looks taken aback for a moment, likely at Blaine’s age, but recovers quickly. “Well, your daughter is very lucky to be engaged to such a gentleman.”

“My stepson,” Carole corrects, and the look on the waitress’s face is priceless. Gay marriage has been legalized in California for a little while now, but it’s still obviously not the norm.

“Oh, uh, still, congratulations,” she nods, a bit flustered. “I’ll be back with your card in a minute.”

No longer than a few seconds after she leaves hastily, Carole glances to Blaine, unable to keep her laughter quelled. He breaks just as she does, and they only manage to collect themselves just in time for the waitress to return with Blaine’s card and receipt.

When they’re back home and the jet lag has worn off a bit, she calls Kurt and tells him of Blaine’s kind gesture, which starts with Kurt joking that he gets “major fiancé points” and devolves into a frankly adorable rant about how thoughtful Blaine is. Carole’s more than happy to listen to every last word of it.

Blaine graduates and follows Kurt to New York just a short while later. She sees them both off, happy and in love and excited to start this new phase of their adult lives together.

She still gets calls, occasionally, from Kurt, and Blaine doesn’t hesitate to pop in when he’s around. But they’re busy, they’re adults, and the number of time she talks to either of them dwindles. It’s nice to have some time alone with Burt, but the empty nest that was unfairly forced upon her so early and so painfully stings every now and again.

It takes longer than the first time for the word to get back to her.

When Kurt calls and tells her that he and Blaine ended their engagement, he’s angry. He’s angrier than she’s heard him in a very long time. But he’s angry at himself — he expresses that to her, but it’s still such a dramatic and unquantifiable life change that he has trouble articulating how he’s feeling. It feels so different from the last time, so cold and mournful. It feels scarily final. Kurt’s resigned to the fact that he threw away the best thing he’d ever had.

Carole encourages him to focus on himself, focus on school, and do what makes him happy. Before he can move forward with anything else, he needs to regain a sense of self. Kurt thanks her, tells her he loves her, and the call ends shortly after.

Six months later, Kurt’s home, and Carole can’t help but selfishly enjoy that he’s moving back in during his semester-long internship. She missed his presence more than she even realized — they cook dinners together, watch terrible reality television on the weekends, and gang up against Burt over his NASCAR-watching habits (Carole grew up on it, but she notoriously finds it incredibly boring). 

At first, he doesn’t talk about Blaine. He doesn’t talk about what went wrong, doesn’t talk about if he knows what he’s up to now or not. But one night, he comes home late just barely holding himself together, eyes red and shoulders shaking with suppressed sobs.

And she’s there, she holds him on the couch as he cries, pets his hair and rubs his back like she used to do for Finn when he was so upset that he needed nothing more than her physical comfort. He opens up slowly, explaining that Blaine’s in Lima, he took this internship mostly as an opportunity to get Blaine back, and god, Blaine’s dating _Dave Karofsky,_ of all people.

His sadness turns to anger again, self-directed anger over what he threw away with stupid words that he didn’t mean but knew hurt Blaine more than anything else he could’ve said. She listens to him recount their progression towards that outburst, that they were both spiraling, but they should’ve had a mature conversation, even gotten help professionally, just not this. _It wasn’t supposed to end this way._

Her heart clenches when he says that. Kurt’s never been one for resignation. It stings to hear it so deeply ingrained in his words.

But, like he always does, Kurt picks himself up out of the rubble, and the next day, he leaves the house for work with a determined focus. She’s proud of him, but she can still see the stiffness of his smile that doesn’t quite reach his eyes anymore.

Weeks pass. Kurt gets looser, happier, coming home with stories about the new New Directions, and even starts mentioning Blaine again — only in a professional context, now that he’s apparently coaching the Warblers.

One night, Burt’s on his way home late from D.C., but Carole‘s home due to her bi-weekly schedule on-off schedule she worked out with the hospital ages ago, when Burt first for elected. Kurt arrives home from Rachel’s childhood home farewell party looking more shaken than she’s seen him in a long time — not since that night when he broke down in her arms.

“Honey?” Carole starts carefully, after Kurt’s stood frozen in the foyer for a good minute after he’s hung up his coat.

He glances to where she’s about to get off of the couch in the living room, ready to come to him. “Blaine kissed me.”

“Oh,” Carole stays glued to her seat. “Okay, well, is he still with Dave?”

Kurt nods slowly, dropping his keys and wallet on the small table next to the door. “He kissed me... and just walked away. Didn’t even look back.”

“That’s... a lot to process,” Carole pats the sofa next to her, and he takes her offer, sitting down dazedly. “How are you feeling about it?”

“I’ve spent the past few months working my ass off to get over him,” Kurt sighs. “And I’ve gotten good at pretending. I chalked the difficulty up to having such a history, but, I don’t know.”

“I think you do,” Carole replies softly, resting her hand on his knee.

He looks at her with such vulnerability that it almost shocks her. “I still love him. But he’s with Dave, and that doesn’t seem to be changing any time soon —“

“Kurt, he kissed you,” Carole interrupts. “There’s obviously still something there on his end, too. Let it happen, if it does. Don’t shut it down before it can.”

He nods. “I’m going to go to bed. I’m exhausted. Thanks for the advice and the listening ear.”

“Of course,” Carole answers. “Any time, honey. Try to get some rest, okay? Staying up all night analyzing this isn’t going to change what’s going to happen next.”

Kurt quirks a smile at that. “You know me too well.”

“I’ve got your back,” she winks, and Kurt disappears upstairs with a kiss to her cheek and a “Love you” thrown her way.

Not even a week later, and her and Burt, who has just arrived home a few days early from D.C. in thanks to the upcoming wedding and his late hours last week, receive a call from Kurt late in the afternoon.

Burt puts it on speaker, continuing their card game at the kitchen table. “Hey Kurt, it’s on speaker since Carole and I are playing cards. What’s up?”

“Um, okay, that’s probably for the better anyway,” he laughs slightly, sounding kind of breathless. “Blaine and I. We’re — we’re back together.”

Carole stifles a giggle as Burt drops his cards and pumps his fists in the air excitedly. “Wow, honey, that’s so great to hear! Congratulations.”

“Now, I’ve gotta ask you because I’m your dad and it’s the right thing to do,” Burt pauses his personal celebration momentarily. “Are you sure this is the right thing for you both, Kurt? I just don’t want to see either of you get hurt again.”

“Yeah, Dad, we’re sure,” Kurt replies sincerely. “We both made mistakes, and we both hurt each other a lot. But we’ve grown, and being apart has made us realize even more that we’re miserable when we’re not together. We have to have a more in-depth mature heart-to-heart tonight, but I’m so happy. We’re so happy. I love him so much.”

“Okay, I just had to check,” the grin returns to Burt’s face as he speaks. “We’re always rooting for you two, you know, so I trust you both.”

“Thanks, Dad,” Kurt replies. “I also have a... _spontaneous_ question for you.”

“Ask away.”

“So, Blaine’s lease is almost up on his old apartment, and neither of us want to stay here any longer,” Kurt begins. “But we really don’t want to be alone right now, and you know Blaine’s situation with his family. Is there any way he could stay with us until we figure out next steps?”

Burt locks eyes with Carole across the table, sharing an amused smile. “Absolutely, kid. Blaine can stay as long as he needs.”

Kurt sighs in relief. “Oh my god, thank you, Dad. You have no idea how happy Blaine’s going to be; he was so worried for me to even ask.”

“Tell him that he never has to be worried about us,” Carole says. “And that we love him. Unless he’s there and listening in already.”

“Uh, no, he’s in the shower. He was so nervous that I told him I’d call while he’s not in the room,” Kurt answers. “He thinks you’re going to resent him, which I told him is ridiculous.”

“Make sure that he understands that he’s always welcome here,” Burt comments. “And there is not an ounce of resentment in either of our minds.”

“He’s right,” Carole echoes. “We’re just so happy for you.”

“I will. I’ll text you when we’re on our way, okay?”

“Sounds good, kid. See you soon.”

“Yeah, you too.”

Carole grins across the table at her husband. “It was only a matter of time.”

Blaine moves in easily, and she can see the tension dissipate from his body the longer dinner rolls on as usual. Only right after they start to clean up does she notice some of it return, to both him and Kurt, and she sends them both away from the table with the help of Burt shooing them off innocently, remembering that Kurt had noted the need for them to have a heart-to-heart tonight.

They don’t emerge from Kurt’s room for the rest of the night, and when she walks past the room to go to bed, she can hear soft voices behind the door still talking. 

The next few days move quickly, and Kurt and Blaine fall back into their familiar ways, just this time, with a new sense of maturity and understanding tinging their sweet, still-lovestruck interactions. They easily switch between being an old married couple and honeymoon-phase partners, and it’s almost blindingly beautiful to witness after knowing how much pain they were both in just a few short days ago.

And then, the wedding.

The last thing Carole remembered doing was complimenting them on their matching groomsmen suits and sending them on their way with a short conversation about love and timing. Now, they’re walking down the aisle in different suits, wearing secretive and anticipatory smiles, and only having eyes for each other.

_Oh my god. They’re getting married._

It hits her like a ton of bricks, and she reaches for Pam’s hand, who is equally stunned as she squeezes back. Carole manages to catch Kurt’s gaze for a split second, and he offers her a small grin before fixating his eyes back on Blaine.

She notices Burt lean in to tell Kurt something, but he remains impressively composed and adjusts his spiel for the surprise occasion.

It’s a whirlwind of a ceremony. The next thing she knows, Kurt and Blaine are married, and she glares teasingly at them as she points, trying to convey her message of _“how could you do this without telling me; I wanted to fuss over your hair and your suits — but I still love you both so much and I’m doing a really bad job of not crying.”_

Later, they tell her and Burt the story as they all take a break from dancing, and it is purely insane, but it fits them better than she could’ve ever predicted. They’re happy, in this serene, sure way that makes any worries about their semi-shotgun wedding disappear. They’re meant for each other, and it was only a matter of time before this happened. So what if it happens earlier than expected?

She watches her boys out of the corner of her eye all night. She takes a shamelessly extreme amount of pictures at the reception, and promises them both that they’re still welcome to live at home for however long is necessary after a night or two at the hotel they had booked to stay in after the wedding.

Kurt just laughs as Blaine thanks her, but they both agree that they’ll only stay until their honeymoon. Kurt warns her that people have already told them that they’re going to start sending wedding gifts to the Hudson-Hummel home, and she assures them that they’ll take care of it.

She and Burt send them off with hugs and kisses on the cheeks, letting them head out of the wedding reception without fanfare. It’s late, people are leaving, and Santana and Brittany hadn’t planned on a celebratory exit anyway.

And it’s in that moment, watching them walk out of the barn hand-in-hand and noticing the light glint off of their wedding rings, that it hits her.

They’ve had to grow up so fast in the past few years. They all have. But these boys, with their awkward hugs in the foyer and stolen kisses in the driveway where they thought no one could see after dates, their adoring tumblings into love together, their heartbreak and their hurt and their mistakes, their strength in the rebuilding and their certainty in the most spontaneous thing they’d ever do — it’s a beautiful and breathtaking journey to even watch from the sidelines.

Carole leans into Burt’s side, and he wraps an arm around her knowingly. The tears she wipes away aren’t the first of the night, and they probably won’t be the last — but they’re justified in the newfound understanding that she just witnessed the end of one chapter in Kurt and Blaine’s life and the start of an entirely new book.

She aches, for a moment, for Finn. He’d want to see this. He’d give both of them too-tight hugs and would’ve cheered so loud during their first kiss as husbands that neither couple would be able to actually kiss, they’d laugh so hard. 

She wishes he had this future. Where he could have a night of joy like this for himself and his life partner. _For him and Rachel._

It’s a thought that’s always there, in everything she does. Finn’s always with her, and she always longs for his presence in ways that aren’t physically possible anymore. But it’s not always a sad thought.

And sometimes it’s fleeting, but important. Because right now, she knows he’d be telling her to focus on the overwhelming happiness and love surrounding this night. To focus on Kurt and Blaine and the love she has for them — because they’re her sons, too. To live life with the same joy she did while he was alive.

They’ve all had to grow up a lot in the past few years. But they’re not done yet, and when Burt squeezes her shoulder and asks for one last dance before they leave, she looks into his eyes and knows that they’re going to be okay.

The joy is back, the love has always been here, and Finn’s never far. Her boys are driving off into their first night of marriage, evidently happier than they’ve ever been. And Burt’s here, of course he is, he _always_ is, steady and grounding.

What more could she ask for?

**Author's Note:**

> I adore Burt so much, but I feel like Carole is often underrated because of how much the fandom loves Burt. More love for Carole 2k20!!!
> 
> Anyway, thank you all for your endless support! For those who have been following me for a bit, you’ll know that I was nominated in Klainecc Fanfic Library’s fanfic awards, and I just wanted to say a HUGE thank you to everyone who voted for me. I am so humbled by the results and am so honored to have placed second in Best New Writer and first in both Best Humor/Crack fic (“Kurt and Blaine Anderson-Hummel Read Thirst Tweets”) and Best dads!Klaine (my dads!klaine series). I’m seriously so blown away and in awe of the support you’ve show me. I love you all so much!!
> 
> Also, just for fun, it’s my birthday tomorrow (yay!), and although I usually post a birthday-themed fic each year, I’m not entirely sure if I’ll get one out in time. We’ll see! 
> 
> Anyway, thanks again for all the support, kudos, and comments! You’re all amazing!
> 
> Find me on Instagram: @insightful.insomniac
> 
> Find me on tumblr: @zigxzag-klaine


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